


You Make Me Fly High (Literally)

by brokenpromisesandhope



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Airports, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cheesy, Cliche, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Happy, Idiots in Love, Lesbian Character, Long-Distance Relationship, Surprises, Swearing, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 19:14:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17731019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenpromisesandhope/pseuds/brokenpromisesandhope
Summary: Nancy and Kali are I’m a long distance relationship.





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve flown a total of 3 times in my life so I’m clearly an expert. Also.. I’m currently feeling all the feelings.   
> Xx  
> T

Flying is stressful. It just is. Nancy aspires to be someone who flies constantly and between work lately and seeing her partner Kali, she’s gonna be an expert soon.   
But currently she’s not and it stresses her out every single time. The staff is always rude as shit for no reason and no matter what type of comfortable shoes she wore, she felt she couldn’t get them off quick enough and her carry on zipper always got stuck pulling out her plastic bag of liquids.   
What even was the point of packing everything in a little fucking container if you had to show them anyway?   
But this wasn’t a work trip, sitting in a bunch of meetings with new people, her favorite coworkers somehow not forced to take 6 hour flights with four hour layovers because they had families or some bullshit. Or maybe they just checked their emails after 9pm unlike Nancy and had a notebook of reasonable excuses. 

But this is a fun trip, to see her baby girl, Kali. Kali’s schedule was more solid, there was no working from home or spending hours on a plane answering emails and files, so it was easier to for Nancy to fly. Kali also lives in New Mexico, which was so much warmer than Tennessee, and Nancy wanted every opportunity to sit outside at Kali’s apartment pool and soak up as much vitamin D as possible. 

That didn’t make flying any less stressful. She always was sat next to some dick who treated her like it was her fault the airline crammed as many people as possible on the plane. 

The flight is only two hours and a direct connection, so she settles back with her computer to type up the draft report. She’s ubering to Kali’s because her flight gets in at one and Kali doesn’t get off until five. 

It works out better that way, because it’s Friday and she wants to decompress from her own work week in Kali’s jacuzzi tub and make her dinner before she gets home. 

There’s no turbulence which she’s always thankful for, and after gathering her bag and hosting her purse over her shoulder she begins her descent to the baggage claim. She stops at the bathroom and after seeing the horrendous bags under her eyes, decides to grab a coffee. 

Putting in 60+ hours a week is making her feel closer to thirty than the 24 she actually is. But moving up in a company dominated by gross white men was... work to say the least. As soon as she solidified a consultant spot she could transfer to their New Mexico office. The commute from Kali’s would be long, but she’d get to spend every night in bed with her baby, and that was the most important to her. 

The one other woman in on her floor Veronica promised she’d do everything she could to push Nancy’s relocation request through, and even sometimes writes off Nancy’s personal flights as business ones. It’s not as if the men aren’t writing off their hotel stays with their mistress’ as business so neither of them feel the slightest bit bad.

The seven dollar coffee is worth it, but she’s dreading the thirty dollar uber to Kali’s. She’s so focused on balancing her iced coffee and her phone to check whether Uber or Lyft is cheaper that she truly cannot be blamed for dropping her iced coffee as screaming, when she sees Kali standing at the bottom of the escalator.

Her hair is up in a chic messy bun only she can pull off and she’s got her huge colorful hoop earrings on and a light yellow blouse and jeans that make it clear she just came from work. 

It’s been so long, three months that again Nancy can’t be blamed for jumping into her arms, tears in her eyes. Kali stumbles back on her heels as Nancy locks her ankles around the taller girl’s waist. 

“Babe what the FUCK,” she mumbles against the soft skin of Kali’s neck. 

She kisses the warm, soft lavender scented skin. The repeatedly, trailing her lips up Kali’s jaw and finally kissing her lips, smiling into her girlfriend’s mouth. Kali’s lips are soft as always and she’s holding Nancy up and Nancy can’t stop crying like the huge sap she is, and finally she gathers herself to let go of Kali and stand on her own two feet. 

“You didn’t have to get down,” Kali says, a glimmer in her brown eyes. 

“You’re, you,” Nancy splutters, “you asshole!” 

Kali laughs loudly and it’s a beautiful sound that Nancy has missed in person so much. 

“I’m an asshole now?” Kali raises an eyebrow. 

Nancy throws her arms around Kali’s neck and kisses her, 

“I mean, my asshole. But you know I hate surprises.” 

Kali laughs, and grabs her hand, leading her to the baggage claim, 

“I know you’re a big fucking liar because you love surprises, being dramatic and cliches.” 

Nancy opens her mouth to protest and snaps her mouth shut when Kali gives her a look. She stands pouting as Kali grabs her suitcase and leads her out to the car. 

“I was gonna surprise you,” Nancy says looking for Kali’s red Toyota Camry, “and cook for you,” she touches her braid self consciously, “and like wash my hair.” 

“That would be a surprise,” Kali teases, unlocking her car and hoisting the suitcase into the trunk. 

“You haven’t seen me in three months and you’re gonna talk shit?!” 

Kali slams the trunk shut and kisses Nancy’s nose, 

“I’ve been saving up. Now get in the car.” 

Nancy gets in the car and they head out of the airport parking lot, 

“Also, I can cook for you ya know,” Kali says, reaching over to hold Nancy’s hand across the console. 

Nancy laughs loudly,

“Baby you can barely heat up soup.”

Kali’s jaw drops,

“You said you liked it!”

“Baby, honey, it was from a can.” 

Kali yanks her hand back,

“Fuck off! Starve!”

Nancy laughs and grabs her hand back, kissing it softly,

“I’m trying to make sure you don’t starve.” 

“I do perfectly fine without you,” she sniffs.

“Takeout doesn’t count as fine.” 

“Do you know walking isn’t crowded?” Kali asks.

Nancy laughs loudly, 

“Okay I’m done baby.” 

“Thank you,” Kali says laughing. 

“Thank you for picking me up from the airport and surprising me,” Nancy say squeezing her hand, “I love you very much.”

“I love you too Nancy.”


	2. Departure

“You really don’t need to do this,” Nancy says for the eighth time as she pulls her leggings on. 

“I wanna see you off,” Kali insists, pulling on her own sweatpants. 

“You realize you’re gonna have to go through security too and do the literal most right?” 

Kali rolls her eyes, 

“I don’t care. I wanna see you get on the plane.” 

“Is this because you’ve only been on a plane like once? You realize you can fly out and see me one time.” 

Kali sighs, 

“As if Mark would give me more than my allotted vacation days.” 

“Just say my apartment is embarrassing and yours is better,” Nancy says, tying her hair up. 

Kali throws a sock at her,

“I would never say such a thing... out loud.” 

“Well I mean, I guess I won’t complain too much. Though I wish you were coming with me.” 

Kali crosses the bedroom and kisses Nancy softly, 

“Me too baby. Next time.” 

“Next time,” Nancy agrees. 

They dress slowly, and Nancy drags her feet getting to the door. Even though Kali is gonna walk her all the way to the gate, it still fucking sucks. She hates leaving. FaceTiming and talking on the phone is nothing compared to just, laying in each other’s presence, even in dead silence, love filling the air. 

The ride to the airport is mostly quiet and Nancy’s hand is sweaty in Kali’s. 

“Baby, it’s okay. I’m going to see you in a couple months.” 

Nancy swallows hard,

“I know it’s just hard,” her voice is watery and she hates herself for it.

“Not for much longer baby. It’ll be okay.” 

“You’re not gonna fall in love with someone else and leave me behind?” She’s teasing but Kali squeezes her hand tight, 

“Never. I mean, not in eight weeks at least. Maybe 10.” 

Nancy rolls her eyes as Kali parks in the underground lot. She grabs her purse and Kali grabs her suitcase. 

“Are you sure you wanna go through security?” Nancy asks as they walk through the door. 

“I am kissing you senseless at the gate so you remember how much you love me and don’t find someone else in the next eight weeks,” Kali insists. 

Nancy laughs, 

“As if. But I will never say no to more kisses.” 

“I know,” Kali smiles and kisses her gently. 

The TSA line is unusually short and Nancy forgets Kali’s only flown once as she starts unpacking her bag. Liquids in one container, laptop and phone and wallet in another. Jacket. Shoes off. 

Kali’s watching her and Nancy nudges her,

“Shoes off babe.”

Kali nods and slides her shoes and sweatshirt off and places them in a bin. The airport is small so they walk through a metal detector and get briefly patted down. 

Nancy is faster at putting on her shoes and coat and repacking her suitcase as Kali struggles, probably annoying the hell out of the person behind her. 

“You need a coffee or water or anything?” Nancy asks, as they head down the escalator, “we’ve still got like an hour.” 

Kali shrugs, 

“Sure, I could do a coffee.”

Nancy seems to know where the closest Starbucks is and she doesn’t even blink at the ridiculously jacked up prices. Nancy looks so in her element, balancing all her own luggage and her coffee. She knows exactly where her gate is, and they sit down. 

Kali loves her so much it’s overwhelming. That’s maybe one of the reasons they don’t live together yet. Nancy makes it so hard to breathe all the fucking time she doesn’t know how she would be able to be around her... innate goodness all of the time. 

She radiates positivity and joy and her smile is enough to make Kali’s heart literally skip a beat. She’s just sitting next to Kali, holding her entire world together, drinking a fucking iced coffee. 

Her ice cold feet she insists in burying between Kali’s warm calves, her obnoxious laugh and witty comebacks. Her soft hair and joy in which she spoke about her job even though Kali’s barely smart enough to understand what she even does. The fact she has never complained about flights, no matter how long her layovers are or how many times they get delayed. She’s had to spend the night at the airport before due to bad weather. All for Kali. Over and over. For her. 

“You okay there?” Nancy asks, turning to her, “you’re a little quiet there.” 

Kali can’t look into her wide blue eyes right now so she just lays her head on Nancy’s shoulder, 

“I just love you really a lot,” she mumbles. 

Nancy kisses her forehead, 

“I know baby.” 

The hour passes much too quickly and then Nancy’s gate is called. She heads towards the back of the line and Kali hugs her tightly. She kisses her like she’s never going to see her again, until her lungs feel like they’re gonna burst. 

“Baby I gotta go,” Nancy whispers against her mouth. 

“I know,” Kali says. 

“Eight weeks. My flight is already booked.” 

Kali nods slowly, eyes suddenly wet.

“Maybe I’ll even let you cook for me,” Nancy teases.

Kali lets out a wet laugh, 

“Maybe I can practice my Mac and cheese skills.”

Nancy shakes her head, 

“Vegan Mac and cheese is no joke. Start with frozen pizza first.” 

Kali rolls her eyes,

“You don’t believe in my skills?”

Nancy hesitates,

“I believe in all your skills... except for this.” 

“You’re an asshole,” Kali says. 

“Your asshole?”

Kali nods, 

“Mine.”

“But you’re still gonna make me a pepperoni and mushroom pizza right? Like I need something to keep me going the next few weeks.” 

“My beauty isn’t enough?”

Nancy raises an eyebrow, and Kali laughs, 

“Only if you ask nicely.”

Nancy stretches up on her toes to kiss Kali one last time, 

“I will ask very nicely,” she whispers. 

“Have a safe flight.”

“I’ll message you the moment I land.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Soon.”

Kali bites her lip and nods. Soon.


End file.
